Masoor dal (Lens culinaris), also called red lentil, is a staple food in every Indian household. It is widely cultivated in warm, tropical and temperate zones for its edible and nutritious seeds. In addition, it is an important source of protein for the vegetarian population in developing countries.
Urad dal is a good source of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, iron, and calcium. In addition, whole urad has dietary fibre, whereas urad dal (split urad) does not contain fibre. Among the phytochemicals, prominent phytochemicals present in urad dal are flavonoids and phenolic compounds.
The Masoor Dal lentils can be split or whole, and both types are used in Indian cuisine. The split and husked red lentils are called Dhuli Masoor Dal in Hindi. Split and husked lentils have an orange-pink color. However, the whole Masoor Dal with the husks have a dark brown color and thus called Brown Lentils.
